Improvement in hop-eiqkebs



HOP PIOKER. I

Patented June 30, 1868.

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HENRY FOR-NCROOK, F. J. SHEPPERD, AND ANDREW GARTON, OF WATER- TO WN; WISCONSIN.

LetteraPatent No. 79,336, dated June 30, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT" IN HOP'EIGKERS.

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'10 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, HENRY- 'Fonncnoox, F. J. Snnrrnnn, and A-Nnnnw GAnToN', of Watcrtown, in the county ef Jefferson, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented an Improvement in Hop-Pickers; and do hereby declare that the following is a fall, clear, and 'exact deseription thereof, reference being lied to the accompanying-drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-+- Figure '1 is stop view.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the front side.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the backside.

Figure 4 isa sectional side elevation. I

Figvire 5 is an elevation of the front end.

Figure 6 shows the means used for imparting motion to the shaker.

Letters of like name and'kind. refer to like parts in each of the figures.

This invention is designed to facilitate the heretofore tediods process of stripping the hops from vines, and

consists'inthe combination and arrangement ofth'e several parts, as herein described.

A represents the framework-and casing enclosing the mechanism of the machine. B isa'cylinder or picker, composed of two wheels fastenedtoa shaft, with their rims connected-by flat strips, each of which-contains a row of pins or'teeth projecting outwards. If drivenby hand, the picker is actuated by a crank, C, but if other power is applied, a pulley may be substituted. The picker is covered by a drum, nth-which can be removed when necessary.- I

Dreprescnts a shaft, situated in front of the picker B, projecting from which are four rows of pine,o suflicient length-to pass between'the teeth of the picker.

Motion is;imparted:by'meens of a pulley, 41, connected by a belt with the counter-shaft E.

The counter-shaft E has a-balancevwheeLand is provided with pulleys for giving motion, through belts, to the several parts of the machine.

F represents a screen or bolt made of wire cloth, in the form of a hollow cylinder, and fastened to a shaft, fi-which is made to revolve by means .o fi bevelled gear G, to one of which is' attached a pulley, g, connected by a belt with-the'counter-shaft The bolt F is lower in front thanat the back end, and can be adjusted to any desired angle by raising or lowering the stripaE-through which the front end of the shoftfpassespthe frame or jack, g ,-supp'orting the vback end, being secured to the frame A'by one screw upon each side, allowing it to turn ,as the front end is raised or lowered .Directlybelowthe bolhis a tray or shaker, H, the upper end of which rests upon a cross-bar, a, to which it is connected by. a holt, while the lower endis'suspended by straps, fastened to the corners, and attached to the frame. I v

The shaker inclines downward at the same angle as the bolt; It also has-a slight incline towards the back of the machine: A reciprocitory motion is imparted to its lower end by means of the rod I, crotch-K, and rod L, which is connectedto apnlley. upon the back-end of the counter-shaft E.

Upon the lower back corner of the shaker is a spout, made of sheet metal, passing into an opening inthe lower end of an elevator, M, of the usual form and construction, which is attached to the back side of the machine, and is driven bye belt from a pulley, 2, upon the end of the counter-shaft E- Upon the feed-board N, and directly in front of the picker, is a self-feeding attachment, composed of three rollers, the two lower ones, 0 O,being round, and turning loosely upon their axles, while the upper, P, is provided with leaves, andjdriven by a belt from the shaft of the picker.

Above the boxes in'which the journals of the roller P turn are placed .spi'ral rubber or other springs, for the purpose ot securing a constant pressure upon the vines passing through.

The operation of this machine is as follows, viz: The arms are stripped from the vines, and passed into the machine through the feed-rollers, when they encounter the teeth of the picker, which efl'ectually separate the hops from the vines', and pass'hoth through the trough, upon the opposite side, into the screen, where the hops drop into the shaker, from whence they pass through the elevator into sacks or other articles provided for their reception, while the vines and leaves puss outthrough the lower part of the bolt.

The'feed-rollers allow the vines to he drawn into the machine as fast only as they are completely separated from the hops.

The shaft D keeps the teeth of the picker free'i'rom vines, which would otherwise soon clog them and stop' the machine. i The work performed bythis machine is more thoroughly done, and much cheaper, than if done in any other mnnner, and enables the grower to place'his hops in market earlier and at less cost than he could otherwisedo.

Having thus fully set forth the natureand merits of our improvement, what we claim as our invention, and desire to'seenre by Letters Patent, is I V 1. The manner of adjusting the incline of the bolt F, by means'of the movable strip a, in combination with the jack 9", suspended to the frame by one screw upon each side, substantially as herein shown and described. 2. -The combination and arrangement of the picker B, cleaner D, bolt F, shaker H, and feed-rollers O O and P, in the-manner and forsthe purpose substantially as herein set forth.

3. In combination with the above, the elevator M, arranged substantially-as herein specified. In testimony that we claimthe foregoing; we have hereunto set our hands and seals, this'6th day of May, 1868.

' HENRY FORNQROOK. n.si

F. J. SHEPPERD. [L. 8.] Witnesses} ANDREW GARTON. [its FB'ANK SANnsRsozg; Wu, 1. ALLEN. 

